2001 Dodge Ram Other / unspecified Problems

ON MY WAY TO WORK, AS USUAL, ON A "SLIGHTLY" BUMPY PART OF THE HIGHWAY MY STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END STARTED VIBRATING SO VIOLENTLY THAT I ALMOST LOST CONTROL. I COULD BARELY HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL; AND COULD NOT STEER AT ALL; ALL I COULD DO WAS START BRAKING AND COME TO A STOP. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED MY TIRES AND FRONT END AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I CONTINUED TO WORK AT ABOUT 40 MPH (I HAD GONE TO WORK EARLY SO NO TRAFFIC) . AT 8:00 I CALLED MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND TOOK IT TO HIM TO CHECK OUT WHAT HAPPENED. HE CHECK EVERYTHING AND NOTHING SHOWED. THE NEXT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN; THEN AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I TOOK PICKUP IN FOR REGULAR OIL/FUEL/AIR FILTER CHANGE SERVICE. HE TEST DROVE WITH ME ALONG AND I EXPLAINED FURTHER WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID HE HAS SEEN IT BEFORE WITH DODGE 2500 & 3500 AND IT HAS BEEN LABELED THE "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE". I THANK GOD I WAS NOT IN A BUSY TRAFFIC AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10430142

Incident

Sep 16, 2011

Mileage

201,000 mi

THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 DODGE RAM TRUCK. THE DASH BOARD HAS CRACKED AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD BY DANGEROUS SHARP PIECES. IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ONE OF THESE PIECES COULD INFLICT POTENTIALLY SEVERE INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10397157

Incident

Apr 9, 2011

BOUGHT A 2 YR OLD DURANGO WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT AT CARMAX. AT 116,000 MILES IT STARTED KNOCKING. I TOOK IT TO ALLEN SAMUELS DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED THE ENGINE FAILED. WE REPLACED THE ENGINE AT OUR COST FOR 6K, BECAUSE WE STILL OWED 7K ON THE VEHICLE. WE BOUGHT NEW TIRES AS WE DECIDED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE AND TRY TO RECOVER SOME OF THE COST. 3 MONTHS LATER, THE NEW ENGINE FAILED, THE VEHICLE DIED AS I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND TURNING UNDER AN OVERPASS. I WASN'T AWARE THE VEHICLE HAD DIED, UNTIL I REALIZED THE POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT WHEN I TRIED TO TURN. THE DEALER IS GOING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE THIS TIME, BUT WE HAVE DECIDED WE NEED TO CUT OUR LOSSES AND GET RID OF THE VEHICLE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP A CAR LIKE THIS. WE HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND THIS IS THE VEHICLE THAT WE TRAVEL IN AS A FAMILY DAILY. IT IS TOTALLY UNDEPENDABLE AND UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222152

Incident

Mar 20, 2008

Mileage

116,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD ON OUR 2001 DODGE RAM PICKUP CRACKED ONLY AFTER A YEAR. WE TOOK IT SO THE DEALERSHIP IN MCALESTER, OK (RIVERSIDE DODGE) AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THERE IS AN 8 INCH HOLE IN THE DASHBOARD AND NUMEROUS CRACKS OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE AND EVEN ON THE INSIDE TRIM WORK. SINCE FIRST REPORTING THIS, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES EXACTLY LIKE OURS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WE FEEL THAT DODGE/CHRYSLER NEEDS TO RECALL THIS AND TAKE CARE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD OF REPORTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, ETC THAT WORRIES US TOO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10216226

Incident

May 11, 2002

RIMS FOR 2001 DODGE RAM CUSTOMER STATES THE 4 MAG WHEELS RIMS HAVE MAJOR CRACKS AND WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR RIMS**CC *JB

NHTSA ID

10193178

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

THE ALUMINUM RIMS ON THREE OF THE WHEELS WERE SPLITTING AND CRACKING ALONG THE SIDES. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE DEALER WILL DO NOTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10105014

Incident

Jul 20, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 00V107000; DAIMLER CHRYSLER ISSUED A TRAILER HITCH BRACKET RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THE TRAILER HITCH HAS BROKEN OFF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10103408

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WHEEL AND TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091954

Incident

Sep 13, 2004

THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN A TURN WAS MADE, THE DEALER STATED THE FRONT WHEELS WERE WOBBLING.*JB. IF KEPT ON DRIVING WHEELS WOULD FALL OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10011197

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

Mileage

62,000 mi

WHEEL BEARING SHAFT NUT DOES NOT LOCK, IN RESULT OF THE PROBLEM THERE IS A SQUEAKY NOISE WHILE DRIVING. MR

NHTSA ID

8024193

Incident

Dec 9, 2002

TRAILER HITCH BROKE OFF WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, TRAILER IS WELL UNDER THE TOWING LIMITS, BUT THE HITCH BROKE ANY WAY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8019187

Incident

Aug 10, 2002

WHEEL AXLE HUB NUTS HAVE BACKED UP THREE TIMES WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BRAKES ON FRONT LEFT SIDE BECAME PREMATURELY WORN. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

8010660

Incident

May 22, 2002

VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL ON LEFT DOOR THAT THE OWNER'S MANUAL REFERS TO FOR PROPER TIRE PRESSURE IS WRONG. ON THAT LABEL, IT STATESTHAT THE MAX PSI FOR TIRES IS 41. HOWEVER, THE MAX PRESS. ON THE TIRE SIDWALL IS 35PSI. IF I WOULD HAVE KEPT 41PSI IN THESE TIRES, IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL, ESPECIALLY HOT WEATHER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.. MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO UPDATE THE LABEL WITH THE CORRECT MAX. PRESSURE. NOTE: MY TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY, AND ALL 5 TIRES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. (TIRESIZE: P24516)

NHTSA ID

749755

CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 60 MPH AND VEHICLE DRIFTED OFF ON SIDE OF ROAD, 6 TO 8 INCH DROP, WHICH CAUSED RIGHT REAR RIM TO BEND, RESULTING IN RIGHT REAR AXLE BREAKING. A PRIVATE MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT AXLE DID NOT FUSE TOGETHER PROPERLY.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID

888642

Incident

May 8, 2001